By Solomons                                     H.B. No. 1291

      75R5553 GWK-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the jurisdiction of municipal courts.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Article 4.14(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, is

 1-5     amended to read as follows:

 1-6           (c)  In this article, an offense which is punishable by "fine

 1-7     only" is defined as an offense that is punishable by fine and such

 1-8     sanctions as authorized by statute not consisting of confinement in

 1-9     jail or imprisonment [that are rehabilitative or remedial in

1-10     nature].

1-11           SECTION 2.  Section 29.003(c), Government Code, is amended to

1-12     read as follows:

1-13           (c)  In this section, an offense which is punishable by "fine

1-14     only" is defined as an offense that is punishable by fine and such

1-15     sanctions as authorized by statute not consisting of confinement in

1-16     jail or imprisonment [that are rehabilitative or remedial in

1-17     nature].

1-18           SECTION 3.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies

1-19     only to jurisdiction for the trial of an offense committed on or

1-20     after the effective date of this Act.  For purposes of this

1-21     section, an offense is committed before the effective date of this

1-22     Act if any element of the offense occurs before the effective date.

1-23           (b)  Jurisdiction for the trial of an offense committed

1-24     before the effective date of this Act is covered by the law in

 2-1     effect when the offense was committed, and the former law is

 2-2     continued in effect for that purpose.

 2-3           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-4           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-5     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-6     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-7     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-8     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.